Thud
by diva.gonzo
Summary: Two chapters; complete. Ron and Hermione have finally returned from Australia and are coming to the Burrow for dinner. Molly is in a strop, worrying about her son and what the immediate future is holding. Arthur is trying to help her cope with their New Normal but not everything is pudding at the Weasley home. Rated T for pepper crusted drama and discussions of adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **Rated T** for plenty of pepper crusted angst and drama in this one. And a gentle reminder, via the Solicitors, that I don't HP, AW, MPW, RW, or HG-W. I have some green bean vines growing the garden. That's the extent of my current ownership. - _DG_

* * *

Arthur sat at the dining room table reading the evening edition of the Daily Prophet. Since the war ended, they had been running two papers a day to update the Wizarding community about the potential captures of the remaining Death Eaters. He wanted to read the news and compare what was actually true and what was propaganda. Since the death of Alistair Parkinson, and with Pansy taking over as Publisher of the paper, it had turned back to a reasonable publication.

Molly bustled in the kitchen in preparation for dinner. Tonight would be the first time Ron and Hermione had been over for dinner since their departure to Australia 7 weeks ago – and eight weeks since they stormed out of the house together.

"Arthur, what time is it?"

He put the paper down on the tabletop and checked his wrist. "It's 6pm. You've got an hour before they are due to arrive."

"Well, I'm nervous. What if he's not eaten since he left? I doubt those Muggles could feed him right." Molly opened the door to the wood oven to check the bread before closing it quickly.

"Molly, I'm sure they were more than adequate to feed our son."

"Well, I've got a huge ham roast, with apples, caramelized onions and mushrooms, as well as fried tomatoes and creamed parsnips, along with green beans from the garden. I've also made a loaf of bread and chocolate pudding. That should be enough for Ron and the rest of us."

"It'll be fine, Molly. If it was the entire family it wouldn't be. But since it's just them with us, we'll have plenty."

She turned and looked at her tired husband sitting at the table. "Do you think I should make something else too? Ron's sure to have an appetite."

"Molly, what you've already made will be more than adequate. Really. The rest of us will eat like normal people. You've got enough for eight, from the looks of it. Besides, Hermione probably eats like you do – half as much as I do."

Molly stopped over the stove. "I've not seen Ron in two months, and before that, they were barely home before they left, and then before that, it was a year when they up and disappeared. I miss my son. I want him home."

"And you've had all the other ones home most of the summer helping out. We've not had a full house like this in years. So what's really going on?"

Molly turned and Arthur saw the pain on her face. "I want my baby home. I want my family intact. Ron's too gentle to be like he is now. That's not like him, running out on us and not telling us what's going on. It's not like him to disobey me, and you, in this house. What happened to my sweet boy? What happened to him?"

Arthur took the glasses off his nose and proceeded to clean them. Molly knew after 30 plus years of marriage that he was working up the courage to tell her something she'd not like to hear or know. Better to step in before he worked into his recrimination.

"Whatever you're going to say, don't. I know that he's been through a lot while they were gone and I know he was protecting Harry and in the thick of the fighting. But that's no excuse for him to disobey us as long as he lives here. I won't put up with any further insolence from him. You understand?"

"Molly, that's enough. If you keep that up tonight you're going to drive that boy away for good, you hear? Do you want him like Charlie, coming home only for emergencies?"

"But he's just a child, barely –"

"That's rubbish and you know it. He's of age now and a man in his own right. He has made his choices and you're trying to use a time turner to make him eleven again. He's a grown up and has seen things that probably would give us nightmares. Do you really want to treat him as a child, drive him away by treating him as one instead of an adult who has seen too much?"

"But, Arthur, he went to Australia with her, without our permission. That's unacceptable."

"That _Her_, as you refer to Hermione, is his girlfriend now. Don't you understand the precarious position you put him in? It was either stay with us, bored out of his skull for months, pining for her, or keep his promise to Hermione and go with her, disobeying us. What would you have had that son of ours do? Break his word to his girlfriend after years of lacking the courage to be with her?"

"And that's another thing, Hermione. He's been sleeping with her before they were married. That's scandalous, especially under our roof, no less! It sets a terrible example for Ginny, thinking she can do that too, with Harry."

Arthur shook his head in consternation. "And I laid down the law on that. You nearly drove him away the first time with the rules of the house and you hurt that broken child by it too. Yes, they jumped into the relationship so quickly for my own comfort. But if you've not noticed, there was something wrong with Hermione. She's not the same woman who was at the wedding last year. She's changed for the worse, I reckon. I won't mention the nightmares and screaming at 2am, or the fact that she barely talks anymore, 'cept to Ron. And you've not noticed how sick she looked when we saw her last. You were too deep in grief over Fred to notice that she was barely able to sit up, much less do everything else she was doing."

"It doesn't matter. What they are doing isn't right. He needs to be home, with us, being a teenager before going back into the thick of danger. Do you know he wants to be an Auror? Kingsley said he'd accept Ronald into training without his NEWTS. But he's not ready for that, being shouldered with adult responsibilities. And she should be living at home, with her parents, not letting her reputation be impugned before they are married."

"Now that's enough, Molly Prewitt.

"Arthur," Molly retorted.

"Look. They'll be here shortly. I'm sure you'll harangue him again. But don't be surprised if he doesn't obey you. You're asking him to choose between you and Hermione. After the last year, you're going to be sadly mistaken if you think he'll stay at home and let her go."

Molly folded the towel into her apron and sat down in the chair next to her husband. "I'm not asking him to choose between us. I just want him home so I can help take care of him. He doesn't have to give up Hermione. She can stay here, in Ginny's room, like respectable kids are."

"Now you're being barmy, Molly. You really think you can put that dragon back on the reserve?"

"If he wants to be treated like an adult with us, he needs to act like one. That means respecting our decisions while under our roof."

Arthur looked at his wife. "He's not going to move back, not after he's been out from under our roof pretty much for the past year, living on his own with his two best friends. Our rules of the house are going to be too stifling on him."

"Of course he will, Arthur. This is his home and it's comfortable for him, and he hates to miss meals, and likes to have someone look after him. Do you think he can get that living in London with Harry and Hermione?"

"Mom, Dad?"

The couple at the table turned and saw their youngest son at the back door. He looked to have grown even taller since they saw him last. "Ron!"

Molly got up from her chair and bustled around the table. Ron stepped into the kitchen first, followed by Hermione. Molly engulfed him in a hug. "Oh my Ron! My sweet boy!" she muttered into his jumper. She didn't see Hermione step into the kitchen and remove her jacket and hang it up on the hook behind the door.

Arthur stood up and held his arms out for Hermione while Molly was sobbing into her youngest son's jumper. She walked into his arms and relaxed some in his comfortable embrace. She quickly pulled back from the hug and took a place at the table, further down from their seats. He watched the larger than life witch sit sedately at the table, pouring tea for Ron. Three sugars and some milk was his tea. For hers, she added a little milk before sipping on it.

Arthur frowned. Hermione looked deathly ill. The sparkle in her eyes was dim and her pallor was almost winter-like. The bags under her eyes didn't help, either. He looked back to Molly as she was finally untangling from her son. "You really need a haircut and you feel like you're still sickly. No matter. I've made up a feast for us tonight."

She bustled back to the stove while Ron sat down next to his girlfriend. Arthur watched them settle in with comfortable silence. "So how was Australia? Did you see anything exiting? Do they really have fish in the sea that kill people, like water dragons?"

So, for the next half hour, Ron talked about Brisbane and the Gold coast, getting to go down to the beach and swim some on an off day. Ron talked about food, and how nice the weather was, and how the Grangers were once Hermione returned home with him in tow. He talked about the trip out into the Outback for a few days with them, taking the tent Bill loaned to them, and all of the other things that were fascinating.

While Ron was talking, Molly loaded the table up for dinner, placing the various things on there for them to eat. In short order, the table was full. "Well, tuck in."

Ron made a plate, taking double helpings of ham with the gravy, and the creamed parsnips and beans. He speared some of the tomatoes and helped himself to the fresh baked bread. Within seconds, he tucked in and moaned in appreciation.

Almost everyone else followed suit, loading their plates with Molly's cooking.

Hermione took a small slice of ham, some of the creamed parsnips and beans, and a slice of bread. The gravy, along with the fried tomatoes, was left there. "Aren't you hungry, Hermione? There's plenty for everyone. Ron'll sure to leave some for you."

Arthur looked and Ron had almost finished everything on his plate. "Slow down there, son. There's plenty made up for dinner tonight."

"Sorry," he muttered into his plate. "We were out in London today and I barely had anything to eat since toast and a cuppa at breakfast. I was starving."

"Well, go ahead and get another helping," Molly smiled at her husband while plating more slices of ham and gravy, along with more beans and parsnips and tomatoes. "I made plenty tonight since I figure you didn't eat much while you were gone."

"Oh, I ate plenty, more than enough while we were there. And they had this thing called Shrimp on the barbie. They put prawns on a grill and cooked them that way. But what was strange was having pumpkin soup. Really strange, it was. But we had rissoles on the grill one evening and they were fantastic. It was like meatloaf without the ketchup on it."

Arthur took another bite of dinner and quietly watched Hermione picking at her plate. The beans, along with the parsnips and bread, were gone, but she wasn't touching the fried tomatoes or ham on her plate. He shook his head and tucked back into dinner.

"So, how are the Grangers? Are they settling back in at their residence?"

"They are, slowly but surely. Ron and I were there a couple of nights, just making sure that the wards were up and secure. Mum pitched a fit about her kitchen but that was a small price to pay for keeping them safe."

Molly tutted between bites of her fried tomatoes. "You were gone so long. Why did it take that long? Did you take a holiday while you were down there?"

Arthur watched Hermione continue to push the tomatoes around on her plate. "When they left, they said they were going to Brisbane. They weren't there. They decided it was just too busy for them so they moved down to the Gold Coast and worked at the dental school there. Once we located them there, it was easy to find their residence."

Ron motioned with his fork at his dad. "Things were awkward, at first, but it settled down in short order. After that, we stayed with them while they finished their business there. That was what took so long. Who knew that having a dental practice had so many problems to close up shop? It's nothing like what George has." Ron looked down at his empty plate and switched it with Hermione's. He tucked into what she hadn't eaten.

Hermione looked at Arthur while ignoring Molly. "So while they were still busy with their remaining people, we'd go down to the beach and go swim, or do other things. So, yeah, you could say that we had a bit of a holiday while we were there. It was nice, getting to sleep and do some reading for pleasure, while Ron finished off what was left in their pantry."

A clatter of Ron's fork broke her conversation. "Sorry. I reckon I was hungry."

Hermione shook her head. "Anyway, the cover story for my parents held up. I had told the family and neighbors that they were doing a year abroad, helping with a charity group. It might take a while for their clients to return to their practice but it shouldn't be too difficult."

Molly stood up and turned back to the stovetop. She returned with chocolate pudding and a saucer of clotted crème. "Here you are. I know you two like chocolate pudding for dessert." She cut a generous slice for Ron, ladling a dollop for him before picking up a second plate.

"Oh, no, Mrs. Weasley. I'm full."

Molly gave her a puzzled look. "You never turn down my chocolate pudding."

"I'm not hungry tonight. I'm fine, really."

Molly shook her head and turned to her husband. "A slice for you, Arthur?"

"Absolutely. I never turn down your pudding."

While Molly went back to cutting another slice, Arthur watched Hermione. She was still so quiet. Ron was talking to his Mum between bites of pudding but she was terribly sedate.

"Is there something on your mind, Hermione? You're terribly quiet tonight."

Hermione looked up from the table and smiled wanly. "I guess I'm still tired from the trip. It took a lot out of me."

Ron pulled the plate over and cut another portion from the cake, tucking in almost immediately. "Great pudding, Mum."

Molly turned back to Hermione, sitting on Ron's left. "So now that your parents are home, are you staying with them?"

Hermione looked up and looked to Ron, seeming in a panic. She looked back and swallowed once before finding her voice. "No, I'm not. They aren't that pleased with me right now so I'm not staying with them. I'm going back to London when I leave here tonight."

Molly turned to Ron. "So when are you moving back home, Ron? Your father and I would appreciate your return home. It's been dread lonely without you here."

Ron looked to Hermione before addressing his Mum. "Actually, Mum, I'm getting my things tonight. Harry's offered me a room at Grimmauld Place and I'm taking it. I'm officially moving in with him this weekend."

"And you, Hermione? Are you living there too?"

Hermione bristled at the unspoken allegation. "As a matter of fact, I am. Term starts in about five weeks and being in London will make things easier for me. I can come visit here, or see my parents up in Oxfordshire. There's still plenty to do between now and start of term. I also have to meet with McGonagall in a week to discuss school arrangements."

"Well, that sounds – " Arthur started.

"That's enough," Molly interrupted. "I've had enough of you two playing grown-up and I'm fed up with it. Hermione, I can't control you, but I can put my wand down. You're not moving out, Ron, and that's final. You need to be home with your family instead of out and about, living scandalously."

"Mum?"

"You heard me. You have a place here, at home, with us. You've been gone too long from under our roof and it's time you learn some manners again, young man. You've been most disrespectful these last few months, running off to Australia, when we forbid it and you're not moving out, not until you're ready to be an adult and handle real responsibilities."

"Excuse me, but what do you think you're accusing Ronald about? He's an adult, of age, and been most responsible for the time we've been away. I don't appreciate –"

Molly waved her hands at the young couple across from her. "Rubbish. You are nothing but kids playing grown up. What do you know of responsibilities, or taking care of yourselves? Do you know how to manage a household and the intense demands on your time, day in and day out?"

"Mum, I think –"

Hermione laid her hand on Ron's arm. Ice was scorching the room, all wafting off of Hermione. "No, Ronald, let your mother finish what she has to say. I want to hear how we are kids playing grown up, or that we don't know the first thing about responsibilities, or taking care of ourselves."

"Hermione, stop – " Ron tried to interrupt.

Hermione turned towards Molly across from them. "Please, continue. I want to hear how you think we really are."

Molly blanched but pushed onward. "You know nothing about responsibilities of home, of seeing to the needs of my son here. You can't comprehend – "

Hermione snorted in mock amusement.

" – the financial struggles to make ends meet, or to keep a roof over your head or food on the table."

Hermione's expression hardened even further. "And you honestly think that since we're shagging that I'm being wholly irresponsible and getting pregnant at 18, before I'm even finished school?"

"It's a possibility. We don't want you being burdened yet with children before you're established in a paying job – "

"Oh that's rich!"

"- or having a place you can call a home. Grimmauld place is not a home, not a stretch of the imagination."

"Molly, I think – "

"That's enough," Hermione stood up from the table. "I'm leaving. I won't sit here and continue to be castigated and insulted by your mum, Ron." Hermione walked to the coat rack behind the door and slid into her jacket. She walked to the head of the table and hugged Arthur. The three people remaining at the table watched the young witch walk out the back door into the darkness.

The back door closed with a thud.

Ron turned back to his parents at the table.

Molly looked almost relieved at the situation. "Now, your room is upstairs. I'll have breakfast ready when you get up in the morning."

Ron stood up and put his large hands on the table. "What are you on about, Mum? That was rude of you. Why are you mad at Hermione? Did she do something to irritate you?"

Molly pressed onward. "I'm saying you need to be home, with your family, until you're working and established in a job before taking on too many responsibilities, like a wife and children."

"And you made this decision without asking us? You're barmy tonight."

"Ronald, don't talk to your Mum that way." Arthur spoke up from the end of the table.

Ron looked at his father, slightly abashed, before turning back to his mum across the table. "You're wrong, and chasing away Hermione isn't going to get me to do what you want. I'm getting my things from my room and going back to London, with my best mate and my girlfriend. I'm of age and there's not a thing you can do to stop me, at least legally."

Ron started for the stairs to his attic room. "Ron, don't go!"

He stopped with a foot on the first step. "Why shouldn't I? This was my home, but it's not any longer. My home is with Hermione, and there's nothing you can do or say to stop me from making that happen. And with how you treated Hermione tonight, I'd rather stay with her." Ron looked exhausted and tired. "I can't believe you'd treat her that way, just like you did with Fleur." Ron thudded up the stairs two at a time.

Molly went to cleaning the table while Arthur sat in silence, waiting for the coming row. Sure enough, ten minutes later, Ron came down the stairs with his trunk levitating in front of him.

"Room's clean and empty. Anything I missed can be tossed away or given to a charity shop."

Ron walked to his father sitting there. They conversed quickly and quietly, too quiet for Molly to hear. He then turned to his mum but she had her back to the men. "Leaving? Well, go."

Ron's ears and neck turned a vibrant shade of red. "Fine then. Dad, I'll pop in at work next week to see you."

Ron opened the door and floated the trunk out. The door thudded in finality once again.

Molly continued to work at the sink as seconds ticked away from the clock on the mantle. Arthur sat in his chair at the head of the table, looking at the half slice of chocolate cake. He finished the conversation with himself in his head before coming to a decision, standing up from the table. He glanced once more at the witch at the sink. She was washing another dish, by hand, while the rest lay on the side counter top.

He shook his head in regret before making his way upstairs for bed.

"Was I so wrong, making demands of my boy?"

Arthur stopped and looked into the kitchen. "You thought you knew best and ran with it. It might have worked on Ron last year, before they left. The son we have now is a changed man, one who knows what he wants. And you forced him to choose between you and Hermione. I'm sorry to say, but in a choice, there was no choice. You pushed him too hard and he followed his heart, just like you did. And now, because of your temerity, it might be a while before we see him again."

"But he's just a boy, Arthur."

He snorted in disgust. "A boy? No, my Mollywobbles. That's a man who has seen too much, much too soon, and done things that haunt him. He's not a boy by any stretch of the imagination. He's fought in a war that should have never happened. But it did and now you're pushing him away by making demands that he can't honorably fulfill. So no, not a boy: a man who had to make a terrible choice. I just hope I can get him back to us."

Arthur took another step up the stairs to their bedroom.

"But how can I just let him go?"

Arthur stopped once again. "You do it just like the others. I know you're scared but holding onto him too tight is part of why this happened tonight. Yes, he's acting out but he's a grown man and can deal with his own consequences. But I don't think you have to worry, at least with him seeing Hermione. But you should find a way to apologize to her for how you acted tonight."

Molly turned away from the sink to her husband on the stairs. He saw the red on her ears, a trait her youngest son shared. "I'll send an owl in the morning. But it was because I wanted Ron home, safe and sound."

Arthur shook his head. "And he is home, safe and sound. But home now isn't with us, but that witch he's madly in love with."

Arthur took the stairs to their bedroom, hoping a good night's sleep would help them start afresh with their youngest son the next day. He had some bridges to mend with his youngest son, starting in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I've received multiple requests to write a second chapter, a semi-sequel to _Thud _and here it is. I hope it's adequate. **Rated T for Drunk!George and what he says.**

A/N2: My solicitors wanted to remind everyone I don't the Weasleys, HP, Hermione, or even Odgen's Firewhiskey. I can make a chocolate cake but would need my inhaler shortly thereafter. –_DG_

* * *

Arthur only had a few more minutes before Molly would come looking for him. The party was supposed to start in an hour and it was bound to be contentious no matter what happened. Even though it was Harry's 18th birthday party – one that he was surprised to be having, everyone else wanted something to celebrate.

Too bad it would be nothing like they wanted to give him last year. The uninvited Death Eaters saw to that one, with their ill-timed arrival and the kids' hasty departure. The cake was ruined, and so were the wedding festivities for Bill and Fleur. But the months they were gone, with nary a word, were the most troubling.

Only when he saw the news of the break-in at the Ministry did anything make any sort of sense. But since he was being watched, at work and at home, none of them could attempt any sort of contact. As much as it pained them all, he had to trust them to survive, on their own, without help from them.

Only after the fighting ended did he recognize the carnage that had been inflicted: Dumbledore, dead; Remus and Tonks, dead; Fred, dead. The price for the family was high. Painfully so. But it didn't include that what the family was forced into doing. Everyone knew what Molly did. Only Arthur knew what he did. Well, so did Charlie and Bill, now. But he had to bear that burden, alone, because he couldn't ask Molly to help him cope – not right now. She was still too raw from losing Fred in the fighting.

He already asked enough of his sons, carrying their brother on their shoulders to his final resting place. They took on the additional one without complaint.

Arthur put down the bucket of batteries on his workbench. Batteries, switches, even Velcro wasn't soothing today. Tinkering with his collection of Muggle things today, the Saturday of Harry's birthday party, wasn't enough to quell his discomfort.

Molly's diatribe last week, at dinner with Ron and Hermione, didn't help matters one iota. That was the bulk of his distress, wondering how his youngest son and his girlfriend would cope with Molly. His lovely wife couldn't understand that Ron wasn't a child anymore and that Molly, not matter how much Ron loved her, wasn't his priority anymore. Arthur knew that. They even talked about it over lunch on Tuesday.

"_But Dad! Why did Mum act that way? Doesn't she understand that I'm mad for Hermione and won't leave her again? I promised her."_

"_No, she doesn't. She's scared and afraid, afraid of a silent house and losing more of her children."_

"_But that's barmy. We're not going anywhere. We'll still come and visit. It's not like we're moving to Australia and won't be home for years. I'm not Bill, chasing my career, or Charlie, who left because of work."_

"_But your Mum is different. She doesn't understand that you have been on your own for a year, with your best friends, and that being home would stifle you too much. I understand, and I'm trying to get your Mum to understand, too."_

_He watched his son play with the chips on his plate. They were all that was left of the fish and chips from the Leaky Cauldron. "She really hurt Hermione, what she said. I don't know if she will be amenable to staying for the party on Saturday."_

"_But Molly sent the apology the next morning."_

"_I know, but it did nothing to take away the hurt she inflicted." Ron looked through his long fringe of hair. "She cried herself to sleep, from what Mum said to her."_

"_I know, and Mum felt rotten for it. She had it in her head that you'd be happy to return home once the Grangers were back home and wanting their daughter, safe at home with them. She made a mess of things, but she had the right intentions."_

_Ron shoved the chip in his mouth and chewed slowly. Arthur knew stalling tactics like no one else._

"_Hermione's parents aren't happy with her at all. They might tolerate me but her Mum is absolutely furious and refuses to speak with her."_

"_What haven't you told us? What's going on with her parents?"_

_Ron's ears went a bright shade of red. He looked everywhere but at his father. "She did it for their own good. Honest."_

"_Just tell me. I'm not going to get upset. We've all done things we're not proud of."_

_Ron looked at his dad and gave him a hard look. "She modified their memories. She gave them new identities and encouraged them to go to Australia. And they did. They didn't know they had a daughter named Hermione Granger. She did it to protect them, knowing good and well that the Death Eaters would come calling as soon as they could trace where here parents lived. And they did._

"_So when we showed up and Hermione returned their memories, her father understood but her Mum… well, my ears still ring from that one."_

_Arthur took his glasses off and cleaned them. _

"_Look, I know what she did was terribly wrong, abusing the trust her parents have in her, but it was for their own good. They wouldn't have known where she was, and they couldn't have fought back against them. She didn't want their deaths weighing on her while we were gone. But she said it was the only way to protect them, and her, while we were with Harry. She told me one early morning that she couldn't have been able to focus on what we were doing if she was constantly worried about her parents. But once they were aboard an aeroplane for Australia, she could cope."_

"_So when she restored their memories – nothing as terrible as _Obliviate_, mind you, - her father was upset but her Mum was furious. So when we left Australia via Portkey, and they were returning via aeroplane, her mum wanted little to do with her."_

_Arthur understood where his son was coming from, finally. It made sense that Hermione would do that, and pay the price for her decision, as terrible as it was. "So when you returned, and helped them get settled back home," Arthur looked at his very tired son, "they weren't happy that the house was repaired with magic, I reckon."_

"_Hermione explained that the bastards showed up and what they did, but that wasn't good enough. Mrs. Granger started in on Hermione, blaming her for what happened, and just wouldn't let up. But the scary part is that Hermione took all of it, and didn't say a word."_

_An epiphany hit Arthur between the eyes. "So when Mum was laying into you at dinner," Arthur started._

"_It was the last straw for Hermione, before she broke."_

"_Mummy's sorry, even if she meant well."_

"_I know, but Hermione's it for me, if she'll have me. Merlin knows I've buggered up enough in my life to let her go. So yeah, Mum put me in a spot of bother and it was…"_

"_You made your choice and Mummy isn't it, is she?"_

_Ron looked up at his father and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "Well, yeah, I reckon so. I love you both dearly, but my home is with Harry, and Hermione." Ron looked abashed. "And if I'm going to help George with the shop and eventually do the Aurors, I'll be in and out all hours and it'll drive Mum barmy with worry. So yeah, I'm staying in London, with Harry, and Hermione."_

_Ron smiled, one that illuminated his whole face. "And if I need anything, you're just a Floo away."_

"Arthur, I need your help."

"Coming Molly," He retorted back.

Arthur closed the door to his tinker garage and walked around the back of the house. "Can you set up the table for me? I've got the food on the cooker and I need to keep an eye on it."

"Absolutely." Arthur went to the door to the kitchen and stepped back out.

"How much longer do you think it'll be before everyone arrives?"

Arthur lowered his wand and the table settled into the back yard. "Oh, we've got maybe an hour before Bill and Fleur arrive, with Charlie in tow."

"And Percy and George?"

"We'll be lucky if they are less than a half hour late."

"Ron and Hermione," Molly inquired from the stove.

"Ron promised he'd be here early, to help. But I dunno about Hermione. I've not talked to her since…"

"It's fine. I understand. But since its Harry's birthday party and all, she'll come." Molly said confidently.

"She'll probably come but might not stay for the whole thing. Ron said she's exhausted still, from the trip, and from going to her parent's place daily."

Molly stopped stirring the gravy and looked at her husband. "I do want to make it up to her. I was wrong how I acted."

"I know," Arthur picked up the pitcher of water and took it out to the table. "I hope she will realize that when they get here."

"I'll take her aside and talk for a second. Now, what about Harry and Ginny?"

"They'll be with Ron and Hermione. I know they were in London doing some shopping but said they'd be here in about an hour."

Molly huffed while wielding her wand in the kitchen. "Then would you start loading the table up? I have to keep an eye on the gravy otherwise it'll turn into savory pudding."

* * *

"So I said to Natalia, next time, you better cut your hair short. I don't care if it makes you look like me, handsome bloke that I am. But better that you look like I do than having your head flying all around the preserve. Your mum would murder me in my tent if that happened to you."

The family laughed at the upbraiding Charlie mentioned from Romania.

"Who knew you'd turn protective and responsible, scorch."

"Shut it, you grave robber!"

"Sorry I'm tardy, but here's cake for the Birthday boy."

They all turned and saw Molly had made Harry a birthday cake to make Ron weep. It was enormous, and covered in chocolate frosting. Ginny followed behind her mum with two more jugs of Pumpkin Juice.

"Now once Molly cuts into those six layers of cake," Arthur spoke from the head of the table.

Ron whimpered while waiting for the decadence before him.

"We've got presents for Harry."

"Silly sod doesn't need any presents since he's shagging the bint on the end." All eyes turned towards George. He was sitting on the far end, away from everyone except Percy and Charlie. The bottle of Ogden's in his hand was half-empty.

"What has that specky git done that deserves presents? Bloke's lucky we've not beat his arse for posterity. Everything's gone to shite and it's all his fault." George thrust a finger down the table towards Harry.

Arthur saw his son take the half-empty Firewhiskey bottle and take a deep pull from it. George wiped his arm across his face, removing any residual alcohol from his lips. "Lil' Orphan Heir of Slytherin should have been the one, not Fred."

George turned on Bill and Fleur, who were sitting across from Ron and Hermione. "And you, you stupid sod of a sibling. Where the fuck were you hiding while the fighting was going on? Bet you were in the tower shagging your strumpet seven ways to Sunday." He sneered at his newly wed wife sitting next to his oldest brother. "You would pick the wolf in our midst, trying to stay in Jolly ole England, for nothing more than a good leg over. He can't even keep a scary bugger away from him, scarring his pretty little face."

George turned even nastier, turning his ire elsewhere. "And you! 20 years and you couldn't tell us apart, not 'til I got this blasted ear blown off my sodding head." George took another pull from the bottle. "Didn't need it. Looked naff anyway."

Every head whipped around and looked at the head of the table. Molly put her head in her hands and started sobbing.

"George Fabian, that's entirely enough." Arthur pulled his wand and banished the bottle out of his broken son's hands. "You apologize to your mother this instant. I won't put up with your drunken slander towards her. Do you understand me!"

George turned towards his two siblings closest to him at the table. "And you two sods?" He waved his hands at his brothers flanking him. "These two Bloody tossers abandoned the family in the pursuit of the all-important galleons and career." George picked up Charlie's Butterbeer and drained it. "One loves dragons more than us, and the other ran off to the Ministry and nearly betrayed all of us to those limp-dicked bastards."

Arthur stood up from his seat. "George, I think you've had more than enough to drink today. You've insulted just about everyone here this afternoon."

"But there's one more set I've missed," he drawled drunkenly. George threw the bottle behind him, landing with a crash next to the back door. "Oh yes, the Hero and his pretentious swot. No one in the family is braver than those two, sitting there looking hardly innocent."

George stood up from his chair, knocking it down behind him. He leaned forward and thrust a finger towards the two other people sitting in the middle of the table.

"Ah yes, Brave Ron. Loyal Ron. Second Best Ron. Whiny baby ickle Ronniekins. He cried so hard when we turned his favorite teddy into a spider. Pathetic excuse for a brother, who can't get his head out of his arse to know that someone fancies him dearly. No, took me and Fred to tell him that the frizzy witch next to him fancied him, and for years, we reckoned. But no, instead of telling her he wanked to her every single night since fourth year, he decides to toss her aside and let some other bint suck his bits."

Molly put her head on Arthur's shoulder, still sobbing at the nastiness known as her son. Arthur watched with growing anger at the erosion of his family.

George turned his leer towards Hermione. "Ickle Ronniekins, the most pathetic brother I have. He can't even string two words together before tripping on them. I don't know why you chose that wanker for a leg over when you could be riding my broomstick. Fucking twat, my brother. Bet he doesn't know his wand from his cock."

Arthur motioned for Bill to intervene before Hermione was up out of her chair in a tick, flashing her wand in a furious movement. George flew backwards from the end of the table, landing with a thud on the grass in front of the back porch. He was instantly out. She flourished her wand again and he was bound head to toe in ropes.

"No!" Molly screamed.

"Hermione, no! Don't hurt him." Arthur begged from the end of the table.

She ignored him, stalking towards the prone figure on the ground. No one else dared move while she had the black walnut wand out and was wielding it harshly. She did another incantation, one which no one heard a word pass her lips, and she was in her own cone of silence.

"Arthur, do something," Molly begged hysterically.

"No, let Hermione handle it," Harry and Ron intoned together.

Hermione pointed her wand at George's chest and awoke him. He grimaced at his predicament and looked shocked at who was towering over him. He spoke and shock crossed his face again. She knelt before him, her face full of fury, and did another movement with the wand in her hand. She spoke calmly, it appeared, while he looked at her in fear.

Hermione finished what she said quickly, not taking long in admonishing George for his boorish behavior. She swished her wand and released all the charms she had thrown at him. She stood up and stepped back from George. He scrambled to his feet and looked at the witch before him. Everyone at the table waited impatiently while watching George. No one was paying Hermione any mind, not while George was standing in front of her.

His face crumbled like the wall that killed his brother.

He pulled her into a crushing hug, like Hagrid gives, sobbing on her shoulder and profusely apologizing in a drunken mumble for what he had said and done.

Hermione crumbled as well, from her own shoulders shaking under his sobbing.

Every Weasley man at the table was stoic, all except Arthur. He was weeping with his wife, consoling her with soothing words: _Told you she wouldn't hurt him. Not Hermione. She cares too much._

No one bothered to interrupt them.

George let go of Hermione and wiped his face on the sleeves of his shirt. He was far from composed, from sobbing on the petite witch, but he was sober enough for the moment to take a deep breath and take a tentative step towards the table.

Only Ron saw Hermione quietly go into the house.

"I'm… I'm so terribly sorry. Mum, Dad, forgive me, if you can. I shouldn't have said those terrible things to either one of you, especially you, Mum, and Dad. You've been nothing short of amazing. I've been nothing but a twat, to all of you. Bill, Fleur: I can't even ask your forgiveness. What I said was uncalled for. And you two sods," George motioned to his brothers flanking him, "I understand. I do. I shouldn't have said that, about betraying the family. You've told me everything. I was just being an arse."

George took a breath and found a glass of water before him. He drank it down before returning to his jumbled thoughts.

"Harry, Ginny, It's unfair for me to blame you for what happened to Fred." George wiped his sleeve across his eyes. "Fred came to help, and by Merlin, he did. And Ginny, I know you're good. Hell, even if you have three kids, I'll still think it was a dragon who dropped those poppets on your porch."

A few chuckles greeted his attempt at humor.

"And you, my baby brother, Ron, I owe you the biggest apology. I said things about you,"

Ron stood up and walked towards George. Ron stood inches taller than his brother and looked a man in comparison. George took a step back in fear before Ron wrapped him in a massive hug. Ron talked while George cried on his shoulder. No one could understand what was said and that was fine for now.

Ron let his brother go and he looked him over. "Where's Hermione? I need to apologize to her."

Ron tried to control the regret on his face, schooling it to weary resignation. "She probably went home and to bed. I'll deal with her when we get back to London."

George nodded in acceptance before returning to his seat at the table.

"Now that George has said his peace, maybe we can get those presents for the birthday boy." Arthur turned his watery expression into a smile and pointed his wand at the house. _Accio Harry's presents._

Within seconds, a vast array of things flew out of the house and landed in front of him. Boxes and sacks filled the table. Molly tended to cutting more slices of the cake. She didn't notice, or didn't say anything, about one less person at the table now.

Arthur watched Harry tear into the pile, from sweets from Ron and Hermione, to a cauldron cleaning kit from Percy; _Encyclopaedia of Curses_, courtesy of Bill and Fleur; and a new set of dragonhide gloves from Charlie.

Harry finished with the pile before turning to Ginny sitting next to him.

"And this is from me," she purred before pulling him in for a passionate kiss.

Seconds passed before Arthur cleared his throat. "Ginny, not at the dinner table!" Arthur bellowed at his youngest.

"Yes, Daddy." She ran her hand across his lips before turning back to the slice of cake before her.

"After dinner, we'll take a walk. We need to talk."

"Yes, sir." Harry said politely.

"Oh, not you. No, you and Ron need to see to Hermione. I was talking with Ginny."

"But Dad!"

Arthur looked almost angry at his youngest. "No. We need to talk, tonight."

Ginny slumped in resignation. "Yes, sir."

George muttered to himself, and Arthur could only shake his head. His sons were less of a mess than his youngest. But then, he shouldn't have been surprised. Harry was the love of her life, and they had taken things slow since May. He couldn't complain too much, except to keep Molly placated.

"There may be hope for us yet. We just need time." He looked at the slice of cake on his own plate and tucked in. _Can't let Molly's cake go to waste._


End file.
